Local charities to benefit from conferences in Hunter Valley

A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme launched this week in the Hunter Valley, that is designed to help organisations meet their CSR goals, is also aimed at supporting local charities, community and environmental programmes.

Recognising that many organisations take their CSR role very seriously and like to incorporate this into as many aspects of their operations as possible, Hunter Valley Convention Bureau has introduced a CSR programme that offers opportunities to conference organisers to incorporate activities into their conference or incentive programme that will leave a legacy in the Hunter Valley that will remain long after delegates have returned to their offices and homes.

“We have observed that organisations are increasingly looking for these type of opportunities as team-building exercises” said Ruth Appleby, Business Tourism Marketing Manager at Hunter Valley Convention Bureau.

“They seek out opportunities to contribute to the sustainability, greenness and welfare of the local community in which they are meeting. Instead of spending the afternoon playing golf or tasting wine together, some organisations may prefer to participate in programmes such as the Wyndham Estate Riverbank Rehabilitation project by planting trees or carp fishing or ‘Tikes on Bikes’ – where a team of participants assemble new bikes which are then donated to a local charity to distribute to needy children. Instead of giving costly gifts to guest speakers or promotional gifts to delegates, as has often been the practice in the past, organisations now look for opportunities to make a donation to a local charity instead”, she said today.

“We anticipate that the programme will be flexible with various projects being added or deleted as needs change” said Ruth Appleby. “We believe that this offers a ‘win – win’ to both organisers holding an event in the Hunter Valley and to local charities.”